


Don’t Talk Shit About The Cranberries

by coffeehanjan



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Ackerman cousins, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Levi is in a band, M/M, Mikasa and Annie are getting married
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-18
Updated: 2014-07-18
Packaged: 2018-02-09 08:24:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1975914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeehanjan/pseuds/coffeehanjan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi isn’t some kind of lame-ass wedding singer. But it’s his favorite cousin’s wedding day and he could never refuse her. He hopes he can get through the pre-determined set list without any incidents, then get wasted with Hanji at the end of the night. Maybe if he’s lucky, there will even be some eye candy in the crowd.</p>
<p>Apparently, that’s too much to hope for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don’t Talk Shit About The Cranberries

**Author's Note:**

> This plotbunny was born when my best friend's ex (who is in a band himself) once said "Oh, The Cranberries? They're so boring," and I basically saw red. Haha. At least I'm getting something positive out of this! If you've never listened to them before, seriously go YouTube some of their stuff. They are AMAZING.
> 
> ...No, but really. Don't talk shit about The Cranberries in my presence.

“Thank God for open-bar weddings,” Levi grumbles, sipping a rum and coke while his bandmates finish setting up their equipment. He supposes he should be helping with the mic checks or _something_ , but he knows that Erwin will take care of it without Levi having to even ask.

 

“Amen to that, _my brother from another mother_!” Levi casts a disinterested glance in Hanji’s direction, who is guzzling her jumbo guava margarita between cackles. Her bass guitar swings perilously around her hips as she wiggles around like a kindergartener waiting for a bathroom break.

 

“Hanji, no,” Levi deadpans. He takes another sip of his drink. Should’ve made it a double.

 

Hanji’s eyes gleam through the odd goggles strapped to her face. “Hanji _yes_ ,” she croons.

 

Mike snorts from behind his drum set as he tests out the tightness of the different drums. He’s drinking directly from a pitcher of beer that sits at his feet. Amen to the open bar, indeed.

 

Erwin is tapping the main mic, testing the sound for Levi. “Let’s go over the set list one more time before the guests start showing up.” His smooth, businesslike voice carries through the speakers and Levi wonders why the guy only does backup vocals and guitar.

 

Originally, Levi had tried to be the guitarist. He didn’t like being front and center, and Erwin had been more of a natural in the spotlight anyway. But Levi’s hands were so small that he began to get pretty serious carpal tunnel syndrome from stretching his fingers to reach the right chords. Erwin’s large hands were nimble and had a greater reach, and so Levi was thrust into the role of lead singer as a solution.

 

They’ve been playing together for almost 10 years as The Scouting Legion. Locally, their reputation is relatively solid- there are at least five or six small live houses they play regularly. All of them have day jobs outside of the band- as a group nearing their thirties, they have no illusions about the likelihood of becoming famous enough to actually make a living off of music.

 

And so, they end up in situations like this. Although Levi wouldn’t really call it a “situation” per se- he really _does_ have a soft spot for his cousin, and he’s been looking forward to her wedding with her high school sweetheart, Annie Leonhardt.

 

“Alright, Eyebrows,” Levi sighs, downing the last of his drink. “Just let me get another drink first.”

 

Said eyebrows pull down in disapproval. “Levi,” Erwin warns. “Don’t drink _too_ much- this means a lot to Mikasa.”

 

Levi’s already hopped off the stage and halfway to the bar when he flips Erwin off. “I’m no lightweight. And contrary to popular belief, I’m not _that_ much of an asshole, either.”

 

Levi had let Mikasa choose the entire set list. Their original songs weren’t really wedding material, so they agreed to do covers of her favorite songs throughout the night. Levi doesn’t really care- Hanji and Erwin were the ones who wrote the originals. He always just sang what they gave him.

 

They get through a quick rehearsal without a hitch, and Levi’s feeling optimistic about the rest of the evening. Guests are starting to file out into the garden from the main ceremony, which was held inside the gorgeous plantation-era B&B where they’re gathered. Levi had snuck a peek when it was time for the vows, offering a tiny smile in his cousin’s direction before slipping out back again.

 

There are maybe fifty guests total. There aren’t many family members from either side- it’s mostly childhood friends and their significant others. Levi doesn’t really recognize any of them in particular, although he thinks he might’ve seen the little blond He-Man and the disheveled, crying man clinging to his arm once or twice before. Levi snorts at the sight and returns to the stage.

 

They play the typical “leaving the church” music that’s played at weddings when Mikasa and Annie make their entrance arm-in-arm. Levi doesn’t know what the fuck it’s called and he doesn’t really care. He doesn’t need to sing for it, so he just sits back and takes in the sight of Mikasa radiating happiness. He suddenly feels a little wistful, like an old man watching his daughter get married off. He shakes his head at the thought. He’s not _that_ old yet.

 

The band plays some more quiet instrumental music as the happy couple makes a quick sweep of the guest area. Everyone is hugging them and snapping pictures, some are crying (like that one kid- seriously, hasn’t he run out of tears yet?) while others are offering quiet congratulations. _Finally_ , they make it to the dance floor, an area cleared in front of the stage, and Levi takes this as his cue to stand by his mic.

 

The music fades and he clears his throat. “I’d like to offer my congratulations to the brides,” Levi begins. The guests’ chatter begins to die down at the smooth baritone of his voice. “Along with my condolences to Annie. Good luck getting that one out of bed every morning without getting punched first.” He takes great satisfaction in Mikasa’s reddening cheeks and Annie’s knowing smirk. “And now, for the happy couple’s first dance.”

 

The two women face each other, grinning, as the music starts.

 

It’s light and happy, upbeat and soft. Definitely not their usual style. Levi was more than a little put out when Mikasa had chosen The La’s- he would _never_ be able to stretch his vocal range that high- but with a lot of practice and a dropped octave they’d made it work.

 

_There she goes. There she goes again._

_Racing through my brain._

_And I just can’t contain this feeling that remains there…_

 

Luckily the song is short, and the guests break out into explosive applause at its conclusion. Mike’s cymbal is still hissing through the chatter, and he begins to tap the bass drum to count off the beats to the next song. Erwin joins in with the guitar and they begin to play “The One I Love” by R.E.M.

 

Mikasa and Annie’s set list pretty much consists of ‘90s songs. Not that Levi’s complaining- he’d been prepared to put his foot down at the music choices, but he’d been pleasantly surprised when they finally got the list.

 

The guests dance happily through The Smashing Pumpkins, Blur, Oasis, Bush, The Cure- even a little baritone Garbage and The Cardigans. Everything goes smoothly until they get to The Cranberries.

 

Mikasa had specifically requested this song to dance with a childhood friend of hers- apparently, they both bonded over the song “Dreams” when they were kids or something- he doesn’t really know the details. He just knows that he’s secretly elated to play one of his favorite bands.

 

Everyone in The Scouting Legion had learned a long time ago to never, _ever_ under _any_ circumstances talk shit about The Cranberries in Levi’s presence and expect to get away with anything less than a black eye. He may or may not own their entire discography on vinyl ( _like some kind of pretentious hipster kid, ugh_ ) and have a signed poster framed and hanging in his bedroom. He may or may not have skipped a very important mid-term back in college so he could take a road trip to New York to see them live. He may or may not have also framed the concert tour T-shirt he’d bought on that trip.

 

Levi takes a swig from his water bottle now, silently cursing Erwin and his stupid mama bear glare that had prevented him from getting any more alcohol for the time being. Whatever, he can get shitfaced after they’re done performing.

 

Once the familiar soft strumming and steady drum beat begins, Levi’s already in the zone. His eyes are closed, his expression soft. His concentration breaks momentarily at the boyish voice yelling for Mikasa, and he opens his eyes into catlike slits to find her in the crowd when she replies with a breathless, “Eren!”

 

The tanned boy who had been crying earlier now has Mikasa twirling in the air, both of them grinning like wildcats. If Levi didn’t know Mikasa’s family history, he might think the two were siblings in the way they seem to share a telepathic connection. They match each other, move-for-move, and Levi lets a small smile ghost over his lips before letting his deep voice take over.

 

_Oh, my life is changing every day_

_In every possible way_

 

He watches them twirl around and around, foreheads touching and oblivious to the world around them. It’s kind of touching, really, and Levi absently muses that Mikasa really is lucky to have such a friend.

 

_Though my dreams it’s never quite as it seems_

_Never quite as it seems_

Levi lets his eyes fall closed again and sways his hips as he really hits his stride. He loves getting lost in this music, like he’s done thousands of times in the privacy of his room or car.

_I know I’ve felt like this before_

_But now I’m feeling it even more_

_Because it came from you_

_And then I open up and see_

_The person falling here is me_

_A different way to be_

 

Levi continues to sing, occasionally stealing glances at the dancing pair while ignoring the secretive grins of his bandmates. They know better than to make fun of him for his musical taste or the obvious leap in quality of his performance when it’s something he truly enjoys.

 

About two-thirds of the way through the song, he notices that the brown-haired boy ( _Eren,_ Mikasa had called him) is whispering in Mikasa’s ear while giving someone some serious stink-eye. He knows this song inside-out, so he doesn’t worry about messing up the lyrics while following the kid’s gaze.

 

On the edge of the crowd stands a tall, lean boy with a long face and two-toned hair. Well, not everyone wins the gene pool lottery. His arms are crossed and his face pinched in distaste- Levi briefly wonders if it’s because of the disgusting swill called Coors Lite that he’s holding, but his nasally voice suddenly carries over a quiet moment in the music.

 

“Seriously? The _Cranberries_? Bo-ring! Why can’t they play anything from this decade?”

 

Oh no. Oh _hell_ no.

 

That is cardinal rule number one of The Scouting Legion.

 

_You. Do. Not. Talk. Shit. About. The. Cranberries._

 

Levi’s about to lose it- _fuck_ professionalism- but before he can react, Eren’s fist is meeting the offender’s face. There’s a satisfying _thwack_ that rings out over the music, and suddenly it’s silent.

 

The band and the guests all stand frozen and dumbfounded. There’s a low growl, and Levi breaks out of his stupor when Eren grabs the front of the other boy’s shirt. “Jean. Fucking. Kirschtein.” Eren’s eyes are narrowed, his teeth gritted. “You do _not_ fucking talk shit about The Cranberries. _Ever_.” He steps close enough that they now stand nose-to-nose. “ _Got it?_ ”

 

The words “Not bad,” escape Levi’s lips and carry through the speakers over the chaos erupting below- both of the brides are pulling Eren away while some others hold this Jean kid back from the fray. Everyone else stands slack-jawed, taking in the train wreck before them.

 

Hanji slaps Levi’s back and laughs. “It’s not a real wedding unless there’s a fist fight!” she crows, reaching over to finish her margarita.

 

“I should buy that kid a drink,” Levi mutters. “I was about to punch that douchebag in the face myself.”

 

Hanji just laughs some more and slings her arm over Levi’s shoulders. “Ah, to be young again!”

 

After the scuffle is broken up, the band finishes up their set to keep the guests occupied. He can tell that Mikasa is pissed, but if anything, Annie looks amused at the whole incident. The two perpetrators seem to have been banned to opposite sides of the garden for the time being, and Levi finds his gaze wandering over to Eren more often than not. He-Man Jr. talks to him for most of the night.

 

It’s after they’ve finished their performance when Levi sidles up to the bar, ready to finally get some liquid courage in his system. He tosses back a quick tequila shot with Hanji before settling on a Screwdriver for the time being.

 

He finds the kid much faster than he’d expected to.

 

Eren’s sitting at a table along the edge and stabbing at the ice cubes in his glass with his straw like a sullen child. Levi plops down in the seat next to him and crosses his legs before pointing at the otherwise empty glass. “What’ll you have? I’ll get you another.”

 

Eren’s head snaps up at Levi’s voice, and his cheeks flush immediately. And _wow,_ Levi hadn’t been able to see from the stage, but the kid’s eyes are the brightest shade of sea green he’s ever seen in his life. He feels a little winded when they lock with his own stormy grays.

 

Levi can see from his peripheral vision that Eren is biting his lip now. He feels heat trail down south and shifts slightly in his seat. _Oh shit, this is bad. Abort, abort!_ He knows that he’s been ensnared in this siren’s trap. But Levi’s mind is already blissfully blank and after the little spectacle he made over The Cranberries, Levi finds that he doesn’t even care. He _wants_ to get lost in those eyes, to slide his fingers into those messy brown locks, to slot his mouth against those deliciously plump lips-

 

“Oh, um,” Eren starts, his voice cracking slightly. Levi feels his heart flutter at the shy, crooked grin that follows. “You don’t have to! I don’t want to trouble you or anything…”

 

Levi’s voice feels light and airy and not at all his own. “It’s no trouble.”

 

Eren’s smile widens, and he tilts his head to the left. “Let’s go together. You’re almost done with yours.”

 

Levi’s not sure if he has the patience to sit through another drink. _Ah, fuck it_ , he thinks. He leans forward, nose only about an inch from Eren’s. “You wanna go make out instead?”

 

If Eren were a puppy, his tail would be wagging on overdrive right now. “R-really?”

 

Levi _really_ can’t wait anymore. He brushes the stray strands of hair away from Eren’s eyes, mesmerized at the way Eren leans into the touch. “There’s a green room for the band just inside the house,” Levi whispers. “There’s also a lock on the door.”

 

Levi swears Eren’s irises darken a shade as he looks up at him through his long lashes. “Lead the way, then.”

 

As he grabs Eren’s hand and practically drags him back to the house, Levi pretends he doesn’t see Hanji’s smug thumbs-up or Erwin’s subtle shake of the head.

**Author's Note:**

> I might make this a two-shot if inspiration strikes. I've been TERRIBLE about updating Ride or Die (the plot got away with me and I don't know how to proceed... working on it, though!) and I have some other Ereri stuff I've been hashing out on my computer (/cough/Ereri femslash cross-country road trip AU, anyone?/cough/), so we'll see.


End file.
